Perky League: Harwick pushes Collegeville past Skippack

COLLEGEVILLE — Clayton Harwick is still learning what it’s like to play in the Perkiomen Valley Twilight League.

No, really. I mean, just because he reached base three times and slugged a two-run homer in Collegeville’s 6-4 win over Skippack Tuesday night doesn’t mean the recent Methacton High grad has it all figured out.

But, the fact is Harwick looks like anything but a Perky novice as he continues to serve his Black Sox apprenticeship before heading off to West Chester this fall.

“I’m getting more comfortable, and I’m getting more appearances,” Harwick said. “And playing here has been good preparation for me.

“I’m seeing a lot of good pitching and anything that helps me get used to what I’m going to see at the next level can only make me better.”

Harwick said his choice of West Chester was an easy one, and was made close to a year ago.

“I agreed in early September,” the Methacton slugger said. “Once they recruited me and I visited I had my heart set on West Chester.”

At the time the Golden Rams were coming off an NCAA Division II national championship.

“That was a big part of my decision,” Harwick said with a smile. “It’s a good program and hopefully I can help them win another one.”

In the meantime, Harwick is doing his best to become part of another Collegeville title.

The Sox, who were the visiting team at their home field of Ursinus College, took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on Jon McGlone’s run-scoring ground out and a wild pitch, then saw the Wranglers cut the lead in half in the third via Jason Brooke’s sacrifice fly.

But Harwick changed that in the top of the fourth after Marc Wagner reached on an error with one out. Harwick got a two-strike fastball from Skippack starter Keith Moyer and drilled it over the right-center field fence.

“Yeah, I got a fastball,” he said. “But the one thing I’ve seen a lot of in this league are pitchers pitching backwards.

“Here, you’ll get breaking balls in fastball counts and vice versa. And that’s the kind of thing that can help me at the next level.”

Trailing 4-1, the Wranglers tied it in the home fourth on Matt Albaugh’s sacrifice fly and Mark Romano’s two-run single to center off Collegeville starter Brandon Bruno.

But Collegeville jumped ahead to stay in the top of the fifth when Chris Connor hit a home run of his own over the right field fence and Scott Young, who had doubled, scored on Andrew Miller’s two-out single.

Steve Young kept the Wranglers scoreless over the final three frames, and Collegeville came out on top.

With the help of a guy who’s still learning.

“I have to leave for school August 23,” Harwick said, “so hopefully I can be around for the end of the playoffs.

“I’ve been asked to catch for the Philly Bandits, another summer baseball team, so I’ll spend my time here and there.

“I was told by (West Chester head coach Jack Prachniak) that he wants me to start out at catcher this fall, but I’ll play anywhere.